I would not sign anyone to any $20+MM per year deals in free agency if we can't get LeBron or PG (and I think we're down to those 2, like you say). I would probably do stuff like this:

--Trade JC for a 1st round pick in the 2018 Draft, if you can, assuming he hasn't been moved already

--Draft a rotation player with this pick in the draft that will be a source of cheap production for 4 years.

--Sign a player in free agency that can replace JC's production for even less money. Guys like Tyreke Evans, Will Barton, or even Lou Williams could fit the bill, and these would all be guys that won't get more than 3 year deals and all guys where they should be pretty easy to flip if you do need to open up cap space.

--Use the remaining cap space to absorb bad contracts (ideally expirings) and get draft picks, or possibly a combination of that along with being able to sign another nice value contract in free agency. Continue to accumulate assets. I think this is our best play, if we can't get true max players.

Would you agree though we should dispense with the 2 max FA nonsense if we whiff in 2018?

Well, if we do it kind of how I'm hoping (that is, if we strike out on LeBron/PG this summer), we'd have the flexibility to be able to adjust. If a shot at getting 2 max players materialized, I think we'd have the ability to create that space, either from expirings coming off the books and/or having the ability to easily move affordable value contracts. The Rockets had to move Lou Williams, in part, to get CP3, for example, and it wasn't that hard to do because his contract had value. But in general, yes, I don't want to be locked on to a 2-max plan.

Give me your best 2018 roster where we also punt one slot to 2019. Go.

The Lakers need a starter who can efficiently score out of the PnR/isos, rim protection, and shooting everywhere.

- As Stu noted, try to trade JC for a 2018 1st and expiring deals or shorter/smaller contracts. I'd target the Wizards and Cavs as reasonable trade partners, though they should try with worse teams, of course.
- With a pick somewhere in the 20-25 range where the draft should be more guard heavy let's say the Lakers draft 6'6 CG Shake Milton.
- Try to trade Zu for a future 2nd round pick.
- Tyreke Evans should be the top non-max priority and the Lakers should avoid Bradley/KCP. If healthy, he provides perimeter shooting, efficient PnR scoring, as well as some backup PG minutes. I'm hoping he'd be willing to take a 2+1 for $45M (team option), but he might be looking for more security.
- Try to re-sign Julius to a 4/$50-56 deal. This might be wishful thinking, but his market could be pretty depressed this summer.
- Target backup shooters for $6-8M, preferably on 1+1 deals like Wayne Ellington, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, or James Ennis.
- The center position in free agency is kind of a mess. Noel brings rim protection and a lob threat on a potentially cheap contract, but no shooting. Dedmon could bring both (if he opts out), but has never been a big minutes starter. Brook Lopez is familiar to all of us. Sadly, if Brook would be willing to take a 1+1 deal for $20-24M, I'd bring him back. Hopefully Bryant also steps up.

Sadly, it's the same team minus KCP and JC, but Evans gives the Lakers a better shooter and 4th quarter scorer than either. I'd try to get some playing time for Deng and hope to offload his final year in 2019. If Deng is off the books with Lopez and Harris, they should have enough to sign a 7-9 year max free agent and their 2019 draft pick. If they have to stretch Deng, they'd need to move one of Randle or Evans to make room.

I think if only Paul George is coming(no Cousins or Born), then it would be smart to NOT stretch Deng as it would give us more flexibility in summer 2019.

In the 2019 offseason, both Deng AND Clarkson will both have 1-year expiring deals, and dumping them would be exponentially easier and cost us less assets than this offseason.

If only Paul George is coming, then the question becomes how much are we willing to match to keep Randle, or would you just let him walk for nothing in the hope of chasing free agents again in 2019._________________Ringo "You retired too?"
Doc "Not me, I'm in my prime."